Editor's note: Michelle Ringuette is chief of campaigns and programs at Amnesty International USA. The views expressed are her own.

All eyes were on Moscow this morning as Maria Alekhina, Yekaterina Samutsevich and Nadezhda Tolokonnikova, members of the Russian punk band Pussy Riot, were found guilty and sentenced to two years' imprisonment. For What? Performing a peaceful protest song in a Russian Orthodox Cathedral that lasted less than a minute.

Most agreed that the court wouldn't rule in the women's favor; they themselves had predicted a guilty verdict. Already, Russian authorities had unjustly detained these women, stealing them away from their families and children, and orchestrated a legal process that tiptoed the line on international fair trial standards.

Say what you will about Pussy Riot: this might not be your kind of music. Their actions might offend you. But this doesn't change the fact that freedom of expression, in whatever peaceful form it takes, is a human right, and one on which the protection of other rights rests.Since assuming office in May, President Vladimir Putin has blatantly rejected the call of hundreds of thousands of Russian citizens. Citizens who, in some of the largest demonstrations the country has ever seen, demanded a more open and tolerant society, an end to a reticent and repressive regime. In response, Putin tightened his fist, signing laws that levy exorbitant fines on unsanctioned public meetings, crack down on dissent and restrict the actions of NGOs that provide vital public services.

Amidst this backdrop of increasing efforts to silence the voice of the people, the message of Pussy Riot has sounded loud and clear.

The world has galvanized behind the band members, from Paul McCartney to Faith No More, Anthony Bourdain to Madonna, to hundreds of thousands of others around the world who have called on Russian authorities to release these women. Why? Because Pussy Riot is much more than a group of punk rockers wearing brightly-colored balaclavas. They are mothers, performers, and activists who want a say in their government and the laws that permeate their lives. They are each and every one of us.

In Russia and beyond, individuals who were never civically active are stopping to discuss the importance of political participation and the institutions which impact their lives. Punk rockers and Orthodox Christian leaders alike, emboldened by the tidal wave of global solidarity and weary of the shrinking space for expression, have said enough is enough.

Though Masha, Nadia and Katya were sentenced to prison today, we won't allow these women to be silenced, Their message will continue to be heard. It wasn't just Pussy Riot on trial; it was freedom of expression and the human rights of everyday citizens in Russia.

As Maria stated in her closing statement, all today's verdict could achieve is to rob these women of a "so-called" freedom. True freedom has been spoken. It lives in the world and will go on living "thanks to openness, with every person who is not indifferent, who hears us in this country... these things will make all of us just a little bit more free. We will see this yet."

soundoff(406 Responses)

Phil

As empathetic we would like to be towards these women, if one looks at the history of their (and the larger group they belong to) "protests", one will see that they truly are hooligans and had this coming (small wonder?).

They have a sordid history of indecent exposure, public nudity, assaulting citizens with body excrements, and the like.

Yes, Russia needs to have free-er speech but their illegals acts are not justified.

I think there's more to it than just the Russian pseudo democracy. In fact they would have been found equally guilty of blasphemy in countries like Germany (I know for a fact) and probably in many other European countries. I'm not sure whether the USA has blasphemy laws or not. In theory they shouldnt but with all the christianity running wild, it's possible that there are.
Disturbances of the peace and tresspassing should be treated just like that, regardless of whether it happens in a Walmart or in a church. Churches should not have special protection anywhere in the free world

For all those who are so lovingly and ardently defending the rights of the worshippers, please be aware that these are one sided rights – and I don't mean in comparison with the three women either. Do you know that it is illegal to start any other kind of church in modern Russia (other than Russian Orthodox) unless you can prove that it had already existed there prior to the revolution of 1917 and it was forced to close due to the Communists? So, that means the only people who have religious freedom and whose right to worship in peace is to be respected are the Russian Orthodox Christians. How convenient! They are also the ones who call Putin a "gift from God." I am not defending what the women did, but if we're going to defend worshippers, let's defend all worshippers equally. Otherwise, it's just all politics.

Ms Ringuette is, like the 3 girls jailed, clearly misguided. This isn't about music, it's about being able to distinguish between Protest & Anarchy. They violated a property that was not theirs. They are no different than graffiti spray painters. This is a trivial issue that is only important to a miniscule minority and the State Deparftment's foreign policy toward Russia.

There are many more worthy and true human rights violations by friends of Washington, that Ms Ringuette chose to overlook. I'll list a few.
For months Bahrainis have been in the streets protesting their regime and being killed, wounded, jailed and tortured. Saudi military are in Bahrain for this purpose.
For months Saudis have protested in the eastern provinces suffering the same.
The Syrian opposition forces have been committing the same atrocities as the Syrian military.. Israelis have immolated themselves in the street protesting the Netanyu regime. My advice to Ms Ringuette is this, don't drink the Kool Aid, also go after the atrocities that friends of Washington commit.

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I find the sentence to be too lenient.Had it been Uncle Stalin they would have received at least 30 years.Had it been Mr Brezhnev at least 15 years. Either one would have been more appropriate then what they just got.

In some Haryana villages in India, the young girls are routinely threatened, abused and killed all under Khap (tribe/clan) verdicts. It is acceptable for the families to feed pesticide pills to the teenage girls and then dispose off their bodies by burning them without any police records.

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I saw public opinion poll among russian people.
34% think that it was hooliganism. 24% think that it was sacrilege. 15% – the desire to become famous. 11% – political action. 4% – extremism.
This suggests that they do not have the support of their fellow citizens.

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